Alexandra Engler is the Beauty and Lifestyle Senior Editor. She received her journalism degree from Marquette University, graduating first in the department.

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May 16, 2020

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When you think of skin and hair products, perhaps bedding doesn't come to mind. You likely think of serums and tonics or even hot tools or facial rollers. But think about it: Your face and hair touch your pillowcase for multiple hours a night, every night. That's a lot of contact; arguably more than anything else. That's why silk pillowcases have become so very popular for beauty-minded folk: They provide the best environment for your beauty sleep.

While sleeping on fabrics like cotton or linen certainly isn't going to ruin your skin or hair, they're not the best fabrics for them either. Cotton or linen are porous and therefore rougher fabrics. For hair, this means the fabric can snag and pull at hairs, trigger physical damage, lift up the cuticle, and cause frizz. This is especially problematic for those with curly hair, which is already prone to all of these issues. For skin, this means the fabrics more readily absorb sebum, bacteria, and even your precious skin care products (silk and satin, on the other hand, are more repellent fabrics). But the benefits of silk don't stop there: They are hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, moisture wicking, and breathable.

Sound like the nighttime beauty product you never knew you needed? Here are our favorites.

Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase

Mulberry silk is the highest quality of silk and makes for a very luxurious night's rest. Brooklinen is a direct-to-consumer bedding company that prides itself on high-quality materials at reasonable prices and certainly delivers with these. The pillowcases come in five shades (from white to pink and dark gray) and two sizes.

Olesilk 22 Momme Silk Pillowcase

If cotton has thread counts, silk has momme counts—and 22 momme is generally considered to be the most luxe count for things like sleeping pajamas and bedding. Olesilk not only has 22 momme silk, but it's 100% mulberry as well. These come in a variety of bright, bold hues as well, in case your bedroom décor lends itself to pops of color.

Hill House Home Sisi Silk Pillowcase

These sets are ultra high-end and look it, too. The decadent silk fabric comes with a hidden zip closure (so your pillow doesn't slide out) and detailed two-tone piping around the edges. You can also get the cases embroidered with your initials, if that's your taste.

Myk Natural Silk Pillowcase

The major downside to silk pillowcases is that they are far more expensive than their counterparts. This option uses silk on only one side in order to keep the cost down. But it's still good quality: They use natural, 100% mulberry silk—and skip questionable dyes and tested for allergens.

SLPBABY Silk Pillowcase

If you're looking for enchanting patterns and playful prints, here's your option. This brand has cases that range from groovy '70s florals to watercolor pastels to leopard print. No matter your taste, you'll find one that works for you.

The Ethical Silk Company Pillowcase

This brand's products are tailored and printed by hand at Mehera Shaw, a fair trade tailoring unit in Jaipur, India. The mulberry silk is blended with a special satin weave, resulting in a more matte finish—rather than the high-shine silk you may be used to. It almost looks like linen fabric but feels as soft as traditional silk.

SLIP Silk Pillowcase

These have been shown to reduce friction by 43% on average—by reducing friction, you reduce frizz and skin irritation. Not only that but you reduce the changes of waking up with a pillow crease across your cheek. These are easy to care for as well: machine washable as long as you use a pH-balanced cleanser.

Coop Home Goods Silk Pillowcase

This brand is known for their special pillows: They help align your neck and back while you sleep, are hypoallergenic, breathable, and are vetted by third parties to ensure they don't have any less-than-ideal chemicals lurking in the material. Same goes for their lovely silk pillowcases to slip over.

Face Case Pillow Case

Sometimes it's good to read kind words first thing in the morning. So why not have it stitched up onto your trusted pillow? These mulberry silk pillowcases have "Hey, Cute Face" embroidered into the side, which isn't a skin care benefit but certainly is nice to wake up to.